Kolkata, 11 September: CALCUTTA High Court has rapped Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her recent comments wherein she almost ended up equating dearness allowance (DA) demanding employees’ with that of dogs.

A division bench of officiating Chief Justice Nishitha Nirmal Mhatre and justice Tapabrata Chakraborty today termed the CM’s comment as “unfortunate.” The observation came after the consul of some employees’ unions, who had moved the High Court demanding pending DA from the state government, drew the court’s attention to the CM’s remarks.

“Let me tell you one thing: Bheu Bheu Gheu Gheu kore labh nei, aami bhoy paina (barking will not yield as I don’t get scared.),” the Chief Minister had said on 7 September at Nazrul Mancha in the city, while announcing payment of 15 per cent DA from January as against the total outstanding of 54 per cent.

The division bench today also observed that the 15 per cent DA announced is very meagre and that too, it is only a verbal announcement. The judges directed the state government to publish a Gazette notification on this by 13 September, when the next hearing in the case is slated.